An inulin and doxorubicin conjugate for improving cancer therapy

Abstract

Chemotherapy is one of the primary treatment mechanisms for treating cancer. Current chemotherapy is systemically delivered and causes significant side effects; therefore the development of new chemotherapeutic agents or enhancing the effectiveness of current chemotherapeutic could prove vital to patients and cancer care. The purpose of this research was to develop a new conjugate composed of doxorubicin (chemotherapeutic) and inulin (polysaccharide chain) and evaluate its potential as a new therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. The synergistic effect of inulin conjugated to doxorubicin has allowed the same cytotoxic response to be maintained or improved at lower doses as compared to doxorubicin. Supporting results include cytotoxicity profiles, calf thymus DNA binding studies, confocal microscopy, and transport studies.

pH-Responsive hydrogels containing PMMA nanoparticles: an analysis of controlled release of a chemotherapeutic conjugate and transport properties

“…Unmodified doxorubicin and inulin-doxorubicin conjugate permeability values were previously determined without the presence of microparticles [36] and now compared to permeability values with the presence of microparticles as completed in this paper. With the microparticles present, the permeability values were slightly decreased, but not significant and maybe due to the absorption of small amounts of doxorubicin or the conjugate into or on the polymer structure.…”

“…An inulin-doxorubicin conjugate was previously synthesized and discussed in detail [36]. Briefly, inulin, chloroacetic acid, sodium hydroxide, and water were added in a round bottom flask and reacted for 2 hr at 60 °C to form carboxylated inulin [41].…”

“…The transport properties of unmodified doxorubicin and the inulin-doxorubicin conjugate were previously determined without the presence of P(MAA-g-EG) or P(MAA-g-EG) containing nanoparticles [36]. This paper focuses on determining the effect that P(MAA-g-EG) and P(MAA-g-EG)-5.0NP microparticles (75 – 150 μm) will have on transport properties using the porous Transwell ® plates.…”

“…We have also previously developed an inulin-doxorubicin conjugate for targeting doxorubicin to the colon and improving the efficacy of doxorubicin by enhancing cellular uptake [36]. Therefore we focused on the investigation of loading and releasing the inulin-doxorubicin conjugate using the P(MAA-g-EG) dispersed with PMMA nanoparticles in this paper.…”

“…Thus, we are also presenting in this paper the transport properties of doxorubicin and the inulin-doxorubicin conjugate in the presence of the P(MAA-g-EG) and P(MAA-g-EG) containing nanoparticles. These values will then be compared to permeation values previously determined for doxorubicin and the inulin-doxorubicin conjugate with the presence of the P(MAA-g-EG) or P(MAA-g-EG) containing nanoparticles [36]. …”